003

Tyson's POV 

The night was a blur of pain and betrayal. My fists clenched as I stood outside, watching the black limo speed away with Zina inside. She didn’t look back. Not even once. The only woman I’d ever loved—gone. How could she do this? The thought gnawed at me like a rusted blade slicing through my chest.

I had trusted her, given her my heart, my soul. And now, in one brutal moment, she’d torn it all away. Maybe I didn’t really know her at all. What else had she been hiding from me?

The sound of a car door closing snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. Ethan strolled out of the house with that same smug grin plastered on his face. His own limo was parked just a few feet away, gleaming under the streetlights.

“Still standing out here like a lost dog, huh?” he sneered. “You really are pathetic. A punk like you thought he could marry Zina? A princess in our world?” He laughed cruelly. “Did you actually believe we’d let her be tied to someone as worthless as you?”

I gritted my teeth, my body tense with anger. But it was his next words that pushed me over the edge.

“You’re a nobody,” Ethan continued, taking a step closer. “A broke orphan with no name, no power, and no future. What made you think we’d ever let Zina marry someone like you?”

His words cut deep, but I refused to let him see it.

“She’s nothing to me,” he added, shrugging. “Just a pawn. Soon enough, she’ll be married off to someone in the Collins family. Someone who actually matters.”

And then he said it.

“That slut will do as she’s told.”

My vision went red.

“Don’t you dare call her that,” I growled, taking a step forward.

Ethan smirked, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Why not? It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“You can say whatever you want about me,” I said, my voice shaking with anger. “But you don’t get to disrespect her.”

Ethan’s grin faded. “And what are you going to do about it, punk? You’re nothing.”

“Maybe I am,” I said, my voice steady. “But at least I’m not a coward.”

His eyes narrowed. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me,” I said, my voice louder now. “You’re a coward. Hiding behind your money, your family, and a gun. Real men don’t need to hit someone who’s already pinned down. But I guess you wouldn’t understand that.”

His face turned red with rage. “You little—”

“Come on,” I interrupted, spreading my arms wide. “If you’re man enough, fight me. No enforcers, no weapons. Just you and me. Let’s see how long you last. You wouldn't last two minutes against me!”

Ethan’s jaw clenched, and I knew I’d hit a nerve.

“What’s the matter?” I taunted. “Afraid you might lose to a so-called nobody? I grew up in an orphanage, learning to fight for every scrap I had. What did you ever fight for, Ethan? Nothing. You’ve had everything handed to you.”

That did it. He snapped. “Fine,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You want to see what I’m capable of?”

 His eyes darted around until they landed on an empty gasoline can near the side of my house. With a sneer, he grabbed it, walked over to my wooden house, and splashed the remaining gasoline onto the front porch.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, stepping forward.

Ethan pulled a lighter from his pocket, flicking it on with a flourish. “Teaching you a lesson.”

Before I could move, he tossed the lighter onto the porch.

The flames roared to life instantly, engulfing the wood with terrifying speed. My house—my home—the place I had worked so hard to build, was now a blazing inferno.

“No!” I shouted, rushing toward it, but the enforcers grabbed me, holding me back. I struggled against their grip, desperate to save what I could, but it was hopeless.

Ethan’s laughter cut through the crackling flames. “Look at you now, punk! You’re nothing. And now you’ve got nothing!”

Something inside me snapped. With a surge of strength I didn’t know I possessed, I wrenched free from the enforcers’ grip. My body moved on pure instinct as I lunged at Ethan, landing a solid punch to his face. The satisfying crack of his nose breaking was like music to my ears. Blood gushed down his face as he stumbled back, clutching at it with both hands.

“You bastard!” he screamed, his voice muffled by his hands.

The enforcers lunged at me again, and this time, I fought back with everything I had. My fists connected with jaws and ribs, but there were too many of them. A sharp blow to the back of my head sent me to my knees, and my vision blurred.

“Throw him into the fire!” Ethan shouted, his voice filled with rage. “Let him burn with his filthy little house!”

I tried to stand, tried to fight, but my legs gave out beneath me. Darkness crept in at the edges of my vision. The last thing I heard was Ethan’s laughter and the roar of the flames before everything went black.

A cold splash of liquid hit my face, shocking me awake. I sputtered and blinked rapidly, trying to process what had just happened.

"Zina?" Her name escaped my lips before I could stop it, but the reality hit me like a punch to the gut. She was gone. Gone forever.

“Good. You’re awake,” a deep voice said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turned toward the sound and saw an elderly man standing a few feet away, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his presence commanding the room.

“Who the hell are you?” I demanded, sitting up and rubbing my aching head.

The man smirked. “My name is of little importance, but most people call me the Godfather.”

The words hit me like a ton of bricks. My eyes widened as I finally recognized him. His real name might have been a mystery to the public, but his reputation wasn’t. He was the boss of all bosses, the head of the mafia world.

“What… what do you want with me?” I stammered, my pulse racing.

He took a slow sip of his drink before answering. “Let’s start with the basics. I saved you. Or rather, my men did. You were about to become a pile of ash in that fire.”

Memories of the flames consuming my home flashed in my mind. My hands instinctively clenched into fists. “Why?”

He chuckled. “Why not? You’ve got potential, kid. And I need someone like you.”

I frowned, trying to figure out his angle. “What kind of ‘potential’ are we talking about?”

He leaned in slightly, his tone serious. “The kind that can turn your pathetic life around. I’m offering you money, power, and most importantly…” He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. “…revenge.”

That last word made my heart skip a beat.

“Revenge?” I asked, my voice low.

“Yes,” he said. “On the people who humiliated you. The people who burned your home, took your woman, and left you for dead. I can help you destroy every last one of them.”

I stared at him, trying to gauge if he was serious. His expression told me everything I needed to know. This man didn’t make empty promises.

“What’s the catch?” I asked cautiously.

He grinned. “There’s always a catch, boy. But we’ll get to that later. First, you need to decide if you’re in or out.”

I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing. This man could be my way out—my way to rebuild, to fight back, to make Ethan and everyone else pay for what they’d done.

Finally, I looked him in the eye and said, “Tell me everything.”